Community Venture Initiative

The Hop’s Community Venture Initiative (CVI) aims to increase the Upper Valley community’s engagement and access to Hop programming. CVI builds on the Hop’s commitment, over its 50-year history, to community-oriented programs involving a strong network of local organizational partners, as well as on ideas generated by the Hop’s Class Divide Project, a three-year initiative that examined socio-economic class via the arts.

CVI received seed funding from Jane’s Trust with matching support from The Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation, Neda Nobari Foundation, Nini and Rob Meyer, Jenny and Stan Williams, Norwich Partners and Jane and Peter McLaughlin. In addition, the McLaughlins have provided continued support for key programs including Claremont HopStops and the Community Ticket Program and the Jack & Dorothy Byrne Foundation has provided continued support for the Summer Free For All concert and film series.

To date CVI programs have attracted 6,421 people of all ages, from over 58 Upper Valley towns, many of whom were previously unengaged by other Hop programs. Said one attendee, “A lot of our youth do not experience Hanover and have not experienced anything to do with the Hop or Dartmouth, so it was a really good opportunity for them to just get exposed to what’s going on.” Reported another, “These programs—especially when they are free—offer kids a different perspective about things. It offers them an opportunity.” A youth poetry workshop over six weeks last spring at the Upper Valley Haven’s Junction Teen Life Skills Center which featured a guest professional poet and Dartmouth student poetry mentors was an inspiring and impactful example.